Did you know that Kyoto Shimbun has a collection of English articles? Most of them are about Kyoto, but there are some about Shiga. Here are articles about Nagahama by Kyoto Shimbun: 

Kohoku Region Tourist Booklet 
http://www.kyoto-np.co.jp/kp/topics/eng/2006jun/06-10.html

Guidebook for Kazutoyo-Chiyo Exhibition 
http://www.kyoto-np.co.jp/kp/topics/eng/2005dec/12-23.html 

Tourist Grape Farm 
http://www.kyoto-np.co.jp/kp/topics/eng/2006aug/08-11.html 

Bonsai plum tree exhibition (Bonbai) 
http://www.kyoto-np.co.jp/kp/topics/eng/2006jan/01-31.html 

Other articles in English 
http://www.kyoto-np.co.jp/kp/topics/eng/eng.html 

Unfortunately, most newspapers will delete old articles so we cannot view them after 1 month or so. The Japan Times has some good articles about Shiga, but we cannot freely access them. I’m not sure how long these Kyoto Shimbun articles will stay online. Maybe 1 year or so. Hopefully forever.